LIVESTOCKOS
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Livestock OS is a
digital control layer.

It does not replace the systems that farms, vets, and abattoirs already use. It sits above them — validating data, enforcing rules, sequencing movement, and connecting every participant in the chain through one shared state of record.

Core Architecture

Four principles that govern
every decision in the system.

Every feature, rule, and workflow in Livestock OS is derived from these four architectural principles. They exist because the South African livestock chain fails at exactly these points when left unstructured.

01
Validation
Every data point entering the system is checked against a defined rule. An animal cannot be batched without a registered identity. A batch cannot move without a signed VHC. A VHC cannot advance a batch if it has expired. These are not warnings — they are hard blocks.
02
Authority
Every confirmation in the chain requires an authenticated role. A VHC can only be signed by a registered veterinarian. Gate clearance can only be issued by an authorised intake operator. Slaughter records require an abattoir-role login. The system enforces who can confirm what — not just whether something was confirmed.
03
State
Every batch in the system holds a defined state. State cannot be skipped or reversed without an authorised override. The state machine drives everything: what data is required next, which notifications are triggered, which portals show the batch, and what the audit trail records.
04
Failure
When a validation fails, the system does not silently continue — it holds the batch and records the block. A batch cannot be cleared at a gate if it arrives short on head count without an authorised hold decision. Every block creates a timestamped record with the reason, the operator, and the outcome.
Chain State Machine

A batch moves through
defined states — in sequence.

Once a batch is created, it holds a state. That state determines what can happen next. The chain enforces strict sequencing: no state can be skipped. A batch that is held at any point cannot advance until the hold is resolved by an authorised operator.

REGISTERED
→
BATCH CREATED
→
PENDING VET
→
VET APPROVED
→
COMPLIANCE CLEARED
→
IN TRANSIT
→
AT GATE
→
CLEARED / HELD
→
ARRIVED
→
SLAUGHTERED
→
RESULTS RECORDED
Step by Step

What happens at
each point in the chain.

The following is the actual operational sequence that Livestock OS enforces. Each step identifies the role responsible, the data required, and the state outcome.

01
Farm registration & batch creation Operational
The producer registers individual animals against ear tag identities and creates a batch for movement. Required fields include species, breed, sex, age category, head count, and farm of origin. The batch is assigned a unique identifier and enters state: BATCH CREATED.
Ear tag identitySpecies & breedHead countFarm of originOwner detailsBatch ID
02
Veterinary inspection & VHC Operational
A registered veterinarian inspects the batch and issues a Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC) within the system. Livestock OS records the authenticated approval and timestamp. Certificate and movement validity rules are applied according to the relevant disease-control protocol, permit conditions, species, origin, destination and authorised veterinary requirements. A batch in state PENDING VET cannot enter COMPLIANCE CLEARED until a valid, confirmed VHC is recorded.
Vet registration numberInspection date & timeVHC issue timestampFMD zoneDigital signature
03
Movement declaration Operational
The transport operator declares the movement: vehicle registration, driver details, loading date and time, origin, destination, estimated arrival, and FMD zone of origin and destination. The system records whether the route crosses a zone boundary. The batch enters state: IN TRANSIT. If the VHC expires before arrival, the batch is automatically flagged.
Vehicle registrationDriverLoad timeRouteETAFMD zonesZone crossing flag
04
Gate intake & confirmation Operational
On arrival at the destination facility, an authorised gate operator confirms intake: actual head count on arrival versus declared head count, animal condition, and any discrepancies. If head count matches and no holds are raised, the batch advances to ARRIVED. Any discrepancy creates a HELD record requiring an authorised decision before the batch can proceed.
Declared head countArrived head countCondition on arrivalHold or clear decisionGate operator IDArrival timestamp
05
Abattoir processing & slaughter Operational
Ante-mortem inspection is recorded. Each slaughter event is captured individually — linking carcass identity to the batch and animal record. Carcass classification, weight, and any condemnation decisions are recorded per carcass. Laboratory samples are linked to the relevant carcass record. The batch reaches state: SLAUGHTERED.
Ante-mortem outcomeSlaughter date & timeCarcass IDClassificationWeightCondemnationsLab sample link
06
Results & chain closure Operational
Laboratory results are captured and linked to the relevant carcass records. Once all results are captured, the batch reaches state: RESULTS RECORDED. The complete chain record — from farm registration through to final lab results — is closed, immutable, and available for audit or traceability queries.
Lab resultsCarcass linkageChain closure timestampAudit trailTraceability record
Role Structure

Six roles.
Each with defined authority.

Livestock OS assigns every action to a role. No role can confirm a step outside its authority. Role assignment is managed by the system operator and audited on every action.

Farm Operator
Registers animals, creates and manages batches, attaches compliance documents, initiates movement requests. Cannot approve their own VHC or gate intake.
Veterinarian
Issues and digitally signs Veterinary Health Certificates. Confirms inspection outcomes. The only role that can advance a batch from PENDING VET to COMPLIANCE CLEARED.
Transport Operator
Declares movement details, records load time, vehicle, driver, and route. Receives pre-arrival alerts. Cannot modify batch data or gate outcomes.
Gate Operator
Confirms intake at destination facility. Records head count, condition on arrival, and raises or clears holds. Advances the batch from AT GATE to ARRIVED or HELD.
Abattoir Operator
Records ante-mortem, slaughter events, carcass identity, classification, and lab samples. The only role that can advance a batch to SLAUGHTERED or RESULTS RECORDED.
System Operator
Administers role assignments, entity registration, and compliance overrides where permitted. Maintains full audit visibility across all batches and participants in the system.
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